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Gregorio Soxa Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Kindly wait >>> Please be so kind to wait

Hello Everyone,
I would like to ask a professional to advise, whether using an expression "Kindly wait..." and other expressions containing the word "kindly" (in a meaning of please be so kind) is formal and could be used to your clients (for example on LiveChat offered by a company to its clients)?
May somebody advise me what form is better (formal, professional, friendlier):
Kindly wait, while I check your account >>>> Just a moment please, while I check your account >>> Please be so kind to wait, while I check your account.

Kindly tell me your account number >>> Please be so kind to provide me your account number >>> May I have your account number?

Kindly click the following link >>> Please be so kind to click the following link >>> In order to (...), please kindly click the following link >>> In order to (...), please be so kind to click the following link.

I will appreciate, if someone would recommend the best answer from the provided above.

Thank you.
Gregorio
  

Top answer

" and other expressions containing the word "kindly" (in a meaning of please be so kind) is formal and could be used to your clients It is popular in some Englishes (notably Indian English) but is usually replaced by a simple 'please' in AmE and BrE: Please wait while I check your account; Please click the following link.

— Mister Micawber

  • " and other expressions containing the word "kindly" (in a meaning of please be so kind) is formal and could be used to your clients It is popular in some Englishes (notably Indian English) but is usually replaced by a simple 'please' in AmE and BrE: Please wait while I check your account; Please click the following link.
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7 Answers
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Gregorio Soxa"Kindly wait..." and other expressions containing the word "kindly" (in a meaning of please be so kind) is formal and could be used to your clients
It is popular in some Englishes (notably Indian English) but is usually replaced by a simple 'please' in AmE and BrE: Please wait while I check your account; Please click the following link.
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The only place I've heard "Kindly" recently is on a popular American soap opera, and the character who regularly says it is portrayed as a pontificating egomaniac.
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I flew home to Prague yestreday, and was not happy to hear a number of requests beginning We kindly ask you to ... . It would be far more natural, in my opinion, to simply begin the request with Please ... .
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fivejedjon We kindly ask you to
What bothers me about this all-too-common form is that it makes the speaker kind, not the listener.
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Mister Micawber fivejedjon We kindly ask you toWhat bothers me about this all-too-common form is that it makes the speaker kind, not the listener.
Good point!
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Thank you everyone for help :-) I understand now, that Please be so kind (using a word Please) is more appropriate and friendlier than Kindly... And I thought that Kindly makes the speaker kind, not the listener (client)
Have a good Easter everyone!
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Gregorio Soxa I understand now, that Please be so kind (using a word Please) is more appropriate and friendlier than Kindly..
Actually, 'Please' on its own is quite sufficient for most native speakers of North American, British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand English.
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